


Neutral Ground

by Nariva



Category: X-Men Evolution
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hurt Steve Rogers, Protectiveness, protective Logan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:34:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22524103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nariva/pseuds/Nariva
Summary: After the Brotherhood raids several SHIELD facilities, Logan decides to finally show Magneto the one place he can’t attack.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

Logan tapped his foot on the ground, grumbling to himself as he ground his heel into the dirt. Damn the Brotherhood for making him do this. His lips twitched at the thought and he pushed his heel further in. He took a breath, letting it growl out as he waited. The man’s nose twitched and he turned to look back at the approaching Magneto.

“Wolverine,” the caped man greeted him, frowning at his civilian clothes. “I almost didn’t recognize you without your costume.”

“Don’t need it where we’re going,” Logan said, glaring at the helmet he wore. “You don’t need that either, the Professor ain’t here.”

“Forgive me for being cautious,” Magneto replied as he shook his head, “but I’ll be keeping it on.” Logan snorted, turning from him to stare up at the sky.

“Whatever,” he muttered, watching as Fury’s helicopter descended toward them. He glanced back at Magneto, watching the man’s frown deepen.

“I never took you for the treacherous type,” he lightly said, and Logan rolled his eyes as the metal in his bones gave a warning quiver.

“Relax, bub,” he told the man. “If Fury wanted to take you in, this ain’t how he’d be doing it.” The helicopter landed before them and Logan started for the door. He slid it open, looking back at Magneto. The other man stared at him for a long moment before following, and the two made their way into the helicopter, Logan pulling the door shut behind him. The caped mutant sat, crossing his arms as Logan took the seat opposite of him.

“Now, what’s this about, Wolverine?”

“SHIELD,” he replied, pausing as the helicopter took to the sky again. “Your people have been hitting their bases.”

“You didn’t have to do all this, then,” Magneto said, shaking his head. “What we’re looking for won’t affect the X-Men-”

“This ain’t about them,” Logan interrupted him, watching as the other man’s eyes narrowed. “It’s about us. Fury and I know you aren’t gonna stop hitting bases just because we say pretty please, so we’re gonna show you the one place you can’t hit.” That got him a raised eyebrow, but Logan sat back and closed his eyes. “Might as well relax,” he told him, “we’re gonna be here for a while.”


	2. Chapter 2

Magneto followed after him as they made their way down the hallway, the other man frowning as he looked around.

“I’ve never seen a SHIELD facility deserted like this,” Magneto said, and Logan sneered at him.

“What, you thought Fury was gonna let you see his people?” he shook his head. “Mystique would be in here as one of them in under a week.”

“You’re not wrong,” Magneto admitted and Logan wanted to roll his eyes. He really didn’t want the man here, didn’t want to be doing this, but the damn Brotherhood... He stopped before Rogers’ door, holding a hand up to signal that they’d reached their destination.

“Take the helmet off, Erik,” he said and the man frowned at him.

“I told you-”

“And _I_ told _you_ , Charles has nothin' to do with this. Beyond that door,” he pointed at it, “I’m not Wolverine and you’re not Magneto. The X-Men, the Brotherhood, our disagreements- we’re leaving everything at the door, understood?” Erik turned a curious gaze on the door, clearly wondering what was inside. “You agree to this or we turn around and you pray your people never hit this base.”

“Or what?” Erik asked, his lips curling in an amused smirk.

“I take off the kiddie gloves and _deal_ with you,” Logan replied, staring at him. The caped man eyed him, frowning.

“You’re not joking.”

“I’m not,” he said. Erik thought about it for a moment before finally nodding, reaching up to pull his helmet off. Satisfied that he’d gotten his point through Logan opened the door and stepped inside. Erik followed him in, looking around the room in muted curiosity. He caught sight of the chamber and looked back at Logan with a deeper frown. “Go ahead,” Logan said, gesturing to it. He watched as Erik approached it, hearing the other man gasp. Logan walked up to the chamber, watching as his mouth silently open and shut.

“The... _the_ _Captain_?” he finally managed to ask, his voice low as he stared down at the man inside.

“The one and only,” Logan quietly said, looking down at his friend. He reached down, pressing a hand to the freezing glass as Erik struggled with what he was seeing.

“He’s alive?” the other mutant asked, and Logan nodded. “ _How?”_

 _“_ Project Rebirth had a flaw in it for humans,” he told him, “caused cellular breakdown. It was killing him, so the Army put him on ice while they looked for a cure.” Erik looked at him, wide eyed.

“He’s been like this since the war?”

“Yeah,” Logan muttered. “Been cycling through doctors ever since then to work on the cure.” He hesitated, eyeing Erik. Could he trust him enough to tell him more? Yeah, he decided, he would. “Fury hired on Doctor Banner-”

“Bruce Banner?” Erik turned on him, “the Hulk? You let _the Hulk_ be in here with him?”

“We let you in, bub,” he replied with a smirk. “We’re even thinkin’ about trying to recruit Stark’s kid-”

“Tony Stark?” Erik’s face darkened as he shook his head. “Unacceptable. The man’s a childish drunkard!”

“I forgot,” Logan said, “which of 'em is the leader of a terrorist group tryin’ to divide mutants and humanity?”

“You _dare-”_ Erik hissed, but Logan held a hand up.

“I...” he gritted his teeth, taking a breath and letting it out. “Sorry,” he muttered, and the other mutant blinked in surprise. “It’s... it’s hard to let go of the past, even here. You’re Erik,” he reminded himself, “not Magneto.” Logan looked down at his friend, chuckling to himself. At Erik’s curious look, he spoke. “You do realize that when Rogers gets out, we’re in for it, right? You and me on opposite teams, what we’ve been doin’ to each other- he’s gonna sit us down and have _words.”_ Erik looked back down at the Captain, slowly reaching out. His hand stopped just shy of the glass, then he gently touched the chilled surface.

“I look forward to it,” he said, and Logan gave him a smile.

“Me too, bub.”

* * *

Logan sighed, stepping back from the chamber.

“We’d better get a move on,” he told Erik, “Fury’s probably itchin’ to get you out of here.” The other mutant reluctantly nodded, the two men turning from the Captain to start towards the door. Logan stepped out into the hallway, looking back when he realized Erik wasn’t with him. The man hesitated at the threshold, looking him in the eye.

“Would you... speak to Fury?” he asked, and Logan raised an eyebrow at him. “I understand that Magneto isn’t welcome here, but... would they let a man from Poland visit one of his rescuers?”

“I’ll run the idea by him,” Logan said, “but I don’t think it’s going to be a problem as long as that man behaves himself.”

“I will,” Erik swore to him, looking back at the Captain. He looked down at his helmet, turning it in his hands before he stepped into the hallway and put it on.

“Tell Fury he has nothing to worry about- no member of the Brotherhood will step foot here,” Magneto told him. “They’ll answer to me if they do, and,” his eyes narrowed, “I won’t be forgiving.”

“Knew you wouldn’t be,” he said, nodding. “Now let’s get going, Fury ain’t going to wait much longer.” As they walked down the long hallway, Magneto spoke again.

“Logan?” The other mutant looked at him. “Thank you.” He hadn’t wanted to bring Magneto here, but being with Rogers while having someone else who’d been with them back then... It had been nice, he realized.

“Anytime, bub,” Logan replied, smiling as they walked onward.


End file.
